


Visit to the Clan of Doomed Afflictions

by EtherealOmega



Category: Flight Rising
Genre: Plague Clan, Short Chapters, Traveling Dragon, Wind Traveler
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-20
Updated: 2017-02-24
Packaged: 2018-09-25 22:20:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9848945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EtherealOmega/pseuds/EtherealOmega
Summary: Eurus, from the Clan of Bamboo Kites, has had his heart set on exploration for awhile. He's already visited many clans, but this time it's not just a friendly visit. It's a necessary one, and he finds him self staying longer than he anticipated. An interesting peak into his visit to the friendly yet mysterious Plague clan.





	1. A Not so Peaceful Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Eurus is a dragon from krisfire's clan; however, krisfire has him wandering from clan to clan as a lore builder. If any of you are interested in getting him for a go or just reading through his other stories I'm sure you can find him through something in his home lair even if he's out wandering. Here's the link:  
> http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=view&tab=userpage&id=250620

After his night in the Shadow Flight, Eurus spiraled through the air contemplating where to go next. There were still so many new flights to visit, but the closest two were those of solid Earth and disastrous Plague. His small wings beat against the air in all directions allowing him to hover as he surveyed his surroundings. The wind wasn't particularly strong that evening in any directions so he couldn't rely on his much beloved method of merely letting it carry him where it would. This decision had to be made consciously.. So he let his windswept heart's longing for true adventure lead him away from the smooth path of stone behind and towards the barren wasteland of death ahead.  
  
The land of Plague was much different than the young Spiral had imagined. The first few miles, though easy sailing, were a bit worrying; most bands of dragons upon seeing his shadow bolted away in fear. All others when approached shouted warnings. They were infected. Then the Wasteland came, and there was not excitement... There was only a constant, searing heat burning his underbelly and beating down upon him from above. It was tiring to even keep himself high enough to glide upon the updrafts rising from the desert sands; so, when his keen eyes first alighted upon the forms of dragons below he believed salvation from the heat had come. Spiraling down towards the pale sands below, his feet softly alighted upon the ground feet in front of the earthbound, traveling pack.  
  
The group which only a few moments before had been transversing the empty sands in a tight knit group, split up beginning to fan out around the young dragons before them. Unease grew in the pit of Eurus' stomach, but he tried to push it away lightheartedly. They most likely weren't used to seeing the likes of him - they were all Mirrors after all. "Hello!~" He called out happily bounding towards the group. Their movements quickened, and within seconds they were upon him. Claws. Fangs. It was all a flurry. Pain was everywhere. His vision was starting to waver when a shrill cry split the air. It was the cry of a fellow pack member who had spotted a more promising hunt then a thin spiral with little meat upon his bones. They left him to leave a short-lived mark of red upon the sands. His last thoughts before his consciousness faded into a welcome black was that perhaps his bones would join the many skeletons lost forever to this graveyard.  
  


**~*~**

  
"Hey.. Wake up." He felt a soft nudge against his side and his eyes flickered open. Everything was blurry.. It seemed he still didn't have the strength to see clearly. All he could make out was bright pink, aqua, and green against the bleak behind. Then he was gone again with the wonder of who this form was, and if they might save him from this hell.


	2. Meeting the Clan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All the dragons which are in this chapter are a part of my personal lair. You can find that in the link below if you're curious.   
> http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=userpage&id=136507

Warmth. That was the first thing he felt as the numb dark began to depart from him. It wasn't unpleasant like the beating heat from before. It was pleasantly soft like the fabric he felt wrapped around him as he let his coils rubbed together softly. "Easy there, buster. Rub your scales together too much, and you might just reopen those wounds I closed up." The voice whispered out in a rough approximation of average Draconic followed by a huff. Eurus immediately popped his head up to see the speaker, but the room span as soon as he tried and was forced to set his head back down upon the gentle pillows. A soft chuckle reverberated through the air, "Well then. Looks like even a week isn't enough for a body like yours to recover from a mauling. Though.. No surprise. Looks like the Mirrors got you pretty bad."

"How did you -"

"Stryna brought you in. She's a Mirror herself so she knows the handiwork well." A deep vibrating hum which soon raised into a higher pitch gave him away as a Coatl even before the Spiral once more opened his eyes. This time he was smart enough to raise his head slowly to meet the Shadow eyes before him. Though.. They were darker then those he had seen in the Shadow clan he had just left; however, he pushed it out of his head lightheartedly figuring it was just his white feathers which made them seem darker. "Now then. You won't be leaving the medical facility till I'm sure you're well enough to do so without hurting yourself. I'll get you books or anything else you may need to keep you occupied, but that and tending to your wounds is the most I'll do." With that he padded away to a small alcove on the other side of the large den. He was preoccupying himself with his notes, and Eurus could tell it was going to be a long wait till he was released.

Another week passed slowly at first but sped up after he asked the Coatl for his name and story. "Jasper." He merely said in response to the request, but later small pieces of his story came to light. It was through one of Jasper's mates, the Nocturne Toxin, that Eurus learned why the still young enough Coatl was so pale with only the glowing runes on his sides as any true contrast: Jasper was dying. He had been dying for quite some time, and the runes bound him to his first mate Clysea. She helped feed his life force so as to keep him alive while Toxin helped soothe his spirit to keep him sane. That was all he could learn for after the last tidbit had been given him, Toxin declared he had said enough.

However, the little Jasper had said was enough to drive home the final nail in Eurus' figurative coffin. Determined to find out as much as he could about this clan full of lifelong secrets, he curled himself into knots in anticipation for when he could finally shed his bandages and fly free. Though in truth the time was short it seemed another eternity of knots and being reprimanded for said knot creations, but luckily soon enough he was once more soaring through the hot air of the Plague desert. He would land upon densteps happily and easily be invited in, but all his deep questions about the clan and his host's past were redirected to the everyday mundane. Some of his more cunning hosts even completely turned it around on him causing him to ramble for hours about the precious clan he had left long ago only and had been contemplating often upon his healing bed. However, no matter which way it went after a few snacks and a small conversation, Eurus often found himself politely turned out upon the main clan once more with little more than a title and small tidbits to show for it.

Not all the dragons found dear Eurus' prying unpleasant, and those such as Mistrallaughed at his antics and shared many stories of days gone past in exchange for a few of his own. The young WInd dragoness wanted tails of her old home for though she knew her place was here she often longed much to return even for a time to the place she had grown up - the place she still sung about. She guided the wayward Spiral to some of the more loose tongued members of the Doomed Afflictions clan where he could get his fill of the stories. Her guiding led him to Brightshine the old Light Flight warrior who was proud to share her accomplishments with any who would listen. Tales of war were spun before the windblown eyes for hours on end amusing him until the last word. It lead him to Tourmaline the enchantress who could weave nothingness into the spirit of an animal. The one who could love what was fleeting most because she had grown up in a land where the winds gave and took everything in the blink of an eye just as Mistral and Eurus had. It lead him to FirePlague the sunsoaked female who had allowed her heart to be stolen by a follower of the moon. Her stories were of young love which had strengthened into an affection which could span the long hours she spent away from her mate. The affection which blossomed each morning and each night in the dimmed light of sunrise and sunset. It lead him to Crystal The proud Skydancer of fire who helped her mate stoke his forge every morning and sat through the rest of the day making intricate pieces of jewelry for those she cared for or any willing to pay her hefty prices. She wore her lover's Flight symbol like a badge of honor never once regretting it was not her own which she brandished, and while she told few stories, her soft voice and kinda advice was enough to warrant more than one visit. Lastly it lead him to the twins; one all energy and extrovert, and the other silent, introspective, at peace. Rainbow would show the Spiral masterpieces of words spinning a web of beautiful imagery in ink before his brother Pastel whisked the handsome Spiral away for a private show. One which admittedly disturbed Eurus a bit more than perhaps it should. All shadow and grace it conflicted with the bright eyes of the Coatl, and the innuendos dropped at every turn made it no less unsettling. Yet no matter how many wonderful characters he met, every night he would return to the Skydancer and her silent Guardian mate of blue to hear a song from the winds themselves and settle down for a long rest before his next grand adventure in the desert abodes.

There would be, though, one encounter to end our poor Sprial's wanderings. A large, yet still seemingly friendly structure could be seen in the near distance, and despite Mistral and Crystal's kind advice Eurus couldn't pass up the opportunity to explore. Carefully slipping away from his friends he snuck to Sevrianne's labratory. The shy Nocturne welcomed him in with a gentle smile and soft words. Her past wasn't one she was willing to share much about, but at least like unlike most of the other clan members she attempted to tell him that despite her numerous stutters and 'um...'s getting in the way. A few hours of simple talk passed between them with a few minor alchemy lessons mixed in until disaster struck. Having been confined in the single laboratory room, which was certainly on the smaller side in regards to space to fly around in, had made the thin dragons a bit restless. He tried to take to the air, and for a small amount of time all was well. However, the young male miscalculated a turn around the cauldron and made the precarious item wobble. The quiet distress call the tiny female squeaked was lucky enough warning for the Skydancer who treasured her to save her from the accidentally caused flood of alchemy.

Once it was evident that everyone was safe from the hazardous material, Sevrianne's savior wheeled around on him. The female's worried voice revealed his name: Theadris. Hard Shadow eyes were turned upon him, and fear was the only thing occupying the seafoam dragon's chest. The quiet growl which was brought from the monochromatic dragon though it might have seemed like a small growl to most was danger incarnate to Spiral. This Skydancer (though his appearance like all of his species seemed frail) reeked of fighting prowess so the less experienced dragon turned and ran. This was the first time that it had occurred to Eurus that perhaps his stay had lasted to long. He was heading back to the safety of Mistral's den, flying not far above the ground, with the feathered dragon hot on his tail. Constantly he was looking over his shoulder, and while trying to gauge how far behind him Theadris was the younger dragon ran straight into something smaller, taking it to the ground with him.

A monotone voice came from below him, "I would appreciate it greatly should you move," and immediately the Spiral was back in the air shocked and staring down at a very disgruntled looking Fae. Adjusting his crown of bones to sit right again, the armor covered Fae glared lightly over at the Spiral. This type of clumsy energy was why this breed rarely found a lasting place of rest in his clan, but his irritation faded when he saw what had caused the frantic flight. A gold clad Imperial moved in front of the clan's guest as the small azure dragons bolted forward through the air to meet the cracked dragon with darkness swirling beneath his skin.

"Don't worry, little one." The dragoness smiled back at his constantly moving form. "Ethren is a good leader. Things will be smoothed over soon." Her cheery tone and expression was something one would not expect for someone adorned for war yet it seemed to fit this female so well.


	3. Training Begins/A New Dragon Appears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cumulus is mine so the link from the previous chapter will work to find her, but Cestrum is from one of my allied clans. You can find him via the link below.  
> http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=view&tab=userpage&id=123528

Not long after the leader's decision, Eurus had learned the female was named after the fluffy clouds which could easily become storm clouds, and she definitely lived up to her name when it counted. He now spent most days running and fighting with her tributes. If he had learned only one thing in these days it was that Cumulus was a hard mistress to please. He knew that she was training him for different reasons than her other charges, but much to his pain this different reason made it necessary for an extra hour or two outside of the main training. She taught him to build upon the basic self defense which the clan of Water had been kind enough to provide him with. Though he often heard her gripe about what he had been taught was hardly adequate for a hatchling let along a full grown dragon wishing to travel all of Sornieth! His one relief was his nightly return to the fellow windborn's den for a nightly lullaby to soothe his exhausted frame.

~*~

It was in his final week of training, once he'd learned to use his thin body style and speed to his advantage and brought his reflexes to handle himself very well for one still ranked as a "civilian," that another stranger among the clan approached him. His tattered visage and blood red standing stark against pale skin made him look quite at home in a place of such terrors as Plague yet so out of place within the clan itself. The cleaver which he wore upon his hip despite calling himself a "doctor" was what made Eurus the most wary; however, his first "ally" from his time of bedrest, Toxin, seemed to trust him so an ease slowly began to wash over him the more time he spent near the strange Wildclaw. Cestrum spent numerous hours on simple small chats both to put the Spiral at ease and to gauge his reaction to many topics. FInally the question arose, "Would you like to come back to my clan with me? We're an Arcane Academy of Magic, and we love visitors.~"

The much larger dragon's voice had held a nearly malicious sense of glee within it at his final words, but it didn't do much to quell the excitement which built in the thin dragon's stomach and made itself known in his eyes. He remembers his only stay in the land of the Arcane quite clearly, but his stay with the clan had been short lived. Not only had it been lacking in length; it had been filled with chasing after little fledglings since the clan was yet small with little history of its own. However, this opportunity.. It wouldn't come often. Eurus was neither skilled in the arts of magic nor curious enough to pursue them for long should he come into contact with a way to learn easily. That being said there was something about the magenta land of magic which drew him back, and that school must have a long history of its own. A history to be explored. A new history to be thoroughly conquered. So of course he said yes, and with a new found fervor, the youth resumed his training with Cumulus. The sooner he could get those last few skills in, the sooner he could leave with the mysterious alchemist.


	4. A Hidden Member

Finally... He had done it. He stood panting before the female Imperial: the head of tribute training. The sun was low in the sky, but he had passed her final test. He would finally be free to leave the clan - well he always had been, but it had been strong requested that he stay until his training concluded. She inclined her head to him with a soft smile and slunk off the made her way off the training "field" leaving him alone.

He took a deep breath to soothe his aching lungs and glanced around. It was actually rather beautiful now, and though his muscles ached he knew he needed to cool down his muscles somehow before merely going back to the den in which he had been staying. He huffed and started a stroll through the outer, and mostly abandoned dens on the outskirts. He watched as the sands seemed to turn from a soft gold to a blood red then paled into a nearly bone white as the moon finally rose. The musing of his constantly wandering mind brought the similarities of how often these sands must be stained in blood and perhaps even how much of these sands was truly made of bones cracked and left over from the meals of Mirrors.. If this was the case he was lucky to have escaped becoming one with these sands every sunset and night. Yet something about wandering these empty streets unnerved him tonight as it had not done on any others. The crystal scales on the back of his neck itched with invisible eyes upon them.

For the seventh or eight time that night Eurus whirled around kicking up the sands in a scare/defense tactic which Cumulus had taught him was effective for airborne dragons in this terrain, yet once again nothing visible stood behind him: not even in the shadows. He sighed a bit before laughing at himself good naturedly. Cumulus' lessons to the tributes about always watching their backs must have been getting to him. He grinned and began to spiral up into the air just above the dens happily. The cooler night air running over his body immediately began to bring back his normal, jovial spirits.

Looking back towards the ground he spotted a small shimmering flicker of movement not far from where he had once stood. Curious of this new appearance, the Spiral landed atop one of the nearby dens and peered down into the street. A strange Skydancer was what his bright eyes alighted on. She was pure grey (though different textures could be seen within that grey) and shrouded in a tattered guise of the same color, but both her and her garments seemed oddly translucent. Her translucent wings seemed to shine under the pale moonlight in a rainbow of beautiful colors. Alighting upon the ground behind her, Eurus spoke softly. "Hello, Miss?"

She turned to him gracefully almost looking startled at his approach of her. "O..Oh.. You can see me..?" Her words were slow. Unpracticed. Unsteady. Shy but most certainly not nervous she watched him without another word waiting for a reply which would never come for her question only confused him. With a gentle sigh she let out something akin to a breathy giggle and beckoned him with her tail. "Come with me, and perhaps I can try to explain"

While many dragons might be overly sensible and turn tail in order to run, he couldn't fight the ***** of interest which lead him on behind her constantly, barely there form. Entering the dusty skeleton of what might have once been called a home, the soft figure disappeared until the smoldering sconce and four soft candles around her burst to life. Wind eyes widened in wonder, and the soft look she gave him as she lowered her hood was heartwarming. The faded blue eyes dragged his questions from his throat in a torrent he could not gate. "What are you? Who are you? Why -"

"My name is Alizaveta. I am a spectre.. A shade of a dragon who once existed in the flesh, but cannot move on just yet. Why I am yet in Sornieth.. Is more complicated.. As is why I am watching you or even why you can see me. Though I am afraid only the first two can I explain in full."

Being cut off didn't shock him, but her almost formally spoken and eloquent words did. A shade? Weren't ghosts just a myth most sires would tell their fledglings so they wouldn't wander off at night? Shaking off his doubt he begged her to tell him her story, and so she did. For hours he listened to the thrall as she listened to the tail of becoming a Guardian's charge only to die under his watch due to her own lust for adventure. The tale of a young female who could not move on from this world as long as her best friend, her guardian, was a part of it. No matter how much she cried out to him, her cries fell on ears which could not hear her ethereal voice. He listened patiently and heartbroken at how she had watched him suffer through her death and seen his eyes become lifeless as he watched his meaning for life die. So many times he had tried to join her through reckless actions, but never once had fate allowed him to succeed. Finally she came to the present: this clan. She knew each of them their routines inside and out. She even knew most of them like the back of her hand, yet she would not divulge even the slightest sliver of it to him unless it directly involved her. She was just that pure of a dragoness.. "As for how you can see me.. There is no explanation I can truly give you for that. Not many dragons can see specters, and there is very little in common between dragons who do see those like me. So all I can truly tell you on that topic is that you are special: one of the few not one of the many. Perhaps that is why your heart draws you to travel." With these statements she concluded her time of speech waiting for him.

"Wow..." He could feel a wide grin split his face. "My adventures are nothing compared to yours.. But.." He slithered around the floor for a moment having to resist tying himself in knots at his excitement before settling into his own tail of many adventured across the Flights. She listened intently giving him small praise for how well he had handled everything and learned from it all. She winced and let out quiet sounds of sympathy as he recounted the dreadful encounter with the Mirror pack which brought him here. She laughed softly at his recounts of all the times he had fond himself spun around in conversation and having nothing to show for it after, but when it came for Cestrum to be mentioned.. She froze. For the first time that night, there was true terror in her faded eyes which almost made them come back to the deep blue of a dragon from Water.

"Cestrum from the Lumen-Astrum Acadamia?" Her voice and form quavered as she spoke.

"Yeah! That's him!"

She looked upon the bouncy dragon with a look mixing both great fear and worry with gentle affection. "Please be careful." His scrunched up muzzle was a sign for him to clarify what she had meant with those subtle words of warning. "I have a friend. He is a student at the Acadamia. There has been talk of Cestrum going a bit.. mad. I'm not sure exactly how, but I know my dear friend has been worried about it somewhat." A weak smile was offered him, but he felt the need to comfort her as much as he could.

"I promise I'll be careful. Ultra careful. You don't have a thing to be worried about, Alizaveta!!" He bounced slightly on his short legs watching.

With a small smile she nodded, "Alright. As long as you promise. Now I believe it's time for you to be off to Mistral's den. You'll need rest for your journey tomorrow afternoon." She guided him gracefully to the door, and he could feel her eyes on him constantly as he walked away. He wondered briefly if what he had said truly put her at ease or not.


	5. A Jovial Send Off

"Hey, Eurus, it's time to wake up." The soft voice of the other seafoam dragon cut through his slumber. Blinking awake, he found Mistral standing over him with a jovial expression. "You almost slept straight through the lunch hour, but better get ready. Ethren has something pretty big planned for your send off with Dr. Cestrum." She padded away and out the door to where he could see the blue female was waiting. The thought of something exciting overpowered the desire of his sore body to stay in the soft nest he had coiled himself in the night before.

Having finished polishing his scales to the point they were at least no longer dulled by the desert dusts, he marched out of the den. What he was met with was something he hadn't thought was possible for this clan. There were so many colors and laughter was everywhere. The smell of amazing food wafted from a nearby den, and there were many dragons showing their skills off. One was dark male was doing card tricks while seemingly trying to impress a lighter female. Mistral had her tome open and was singing her heart out in a gentle melody to which Pastel swayed. His smoke danced around his body as he captivated the crowd's eyes. Even Theadris was calm beside Sevrianne watching the seen with appreciation. There was just so much joy in this barren wasteland that he couldn't help but join in. Sweets filled his belly, and he chased around the young hatchlings. By the time the true meal had passed, he would have thought he'd have no appetite. Yet as Ethren raised a toast to their honored guest who would soon be leaving them for a new country, his heart raised and so did his appetite.

By the time he stood beside Cestrum ready to set off into the wastes, Eurus thought they could give him no more. He was wrong. Ethren stepped forward with a softer smile than he had seen on the Fae's face for the many long weeks he had spent there. "We have a few more things to present you with before you should you accept them." A shocked smile was all the Spiral could manage before Ethren began. "From the clan itself I'd like to present to you a Nocturne egg. Perhaps it will find a better place of rest with you once you return home." He placed the thick shelled egg within the other's claws with a sort of reverence before turning and beckoning to a beautifully clad Coatl female with a familiar beside her. "Also a living chest from Vestia's keep. She trains them well. It will serve you to the fullest while guarding against all others." The living chest floated its way to Eurus' side after the female gave a releasing gesture. He was about to splutter out a thank you for the gifts before a deep blue hand raised. "Three more gifts you'll receive, but those are not from the clan. They are from individuals."

Crystal stepped forward, the facets in her wings shining under the heated sun. "One of my finest works, Eurus." She quickly clasped it in it's proper place around his leg. I hope it will keep your memory strong so that you may remember all your travels until your dying day.. And so that we will never fade from your memories." A regal nod of approval was the last of her blessing before she stepped back to the rest of the clan.

Next came a very shy Rainbow, though only after his brother shoved him forward. "I.. I've written a small piece for you. It's nothing much, but I would love for you to have it in thanks for your company despite my brother's antics. You are a good dragons." He quickly placed the parchments upon the sentient chest's lid, and gave the other male a small smile of care and farewell.

Last came Mistral her eyes misted over with gentle tears. "I'm going to miss our nights spent talking, Eurus.. If I ever return to Wind I hope you don't mind if I seek you out for a few nights of rest." Sharing a smile they both nodded. Fragile hands held out a green and white scarf nearly identical to her own. "I thought it might accent your scales nicely.. And besides it'll be a way for you to remember me when we no longer see each other." The scarf was looped around his neck gingerly and only moments later the Skydancer found his form looped around hers. Her wings surrounded them gently, and she couldn't help but enjoy the last forseeable moment with her dear friend. It only lasted moments for they both knew it was time for him to leave; then she too stepped back into her clan's protection.

"The Clan of Doomed Afflictions thanks you for your stay and wishes you well in all your journeys ahead." The small Fae's voice rose above what most would expect. "Should you ever need rest in Plague again you are welcome to our halls." With that Ethren bowed and fluttered back towards the clan, and the two travelers began their trek. On the back of his neck he could feel the invisible eyes of one who could not greet him one last time, and a soft smile touched his lips. _Goodbye, Alizaveta._ He thought to himself before he let himself be engrossed by the conversation he managed to begin with the intimidating Wildclaw beside him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last chapter is going to be the poem Rainbow wrote for him, but that might be a little bit in the making. Any of you who read this, and enjoyed it thank you so much. I hope you stick around to see the poem and go look around at where else Eurus has and will travel! He's a cute little thing. 
> 
> Anyway! I hope you all enjoyed. Any sort of commentary is always appreciated so don't feel shy to leave a comment about absolutely anything. Especially since I'm just getting back into writing after a few years of nothing. So if you have critiques that's great, but if all you want to do is tell me that you liked it, trust me that's the best praise any writer can ever get. All sorts of commentary makes me feel like I should definitely keep writing in general! Kudos are also lovely, fyi.~  
> Hope y'all have a great day/night where ever you are, and best of luck in this game which we call life.
> 
> Signed,  
> EO


	6. A Poem for Eurus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The poem which Rainbow wrote for Eurus.

You hail from a land of music and merriment.  
How then have you found yourself at the doorstep of a clan who keeps their walls too high to hear your mirth?  
  
Even the Queen of Earth crumbles a bit beneath your innocence.   
God knows she hasn't seen the Maiden of Wind be such a lyricist in too long.  
  
So please lead us all in one last and silent song  
For our chained up souls to cry out to as you leave.  
  
For though none of us can grieve as much as two proud figures among our ranks,   
We all must still through it all give you thanks.  
  
So as you move on remember us  
And when you cry out we shall be there to ease your pain  
Moving against Fate's grain and windswept rains  
Because you are now a part of this mismatched family who has everything from your happiness to gain. 


End file.
